The Last Diet by Dr Eva Orsmond

Diet books are ten a penny as anyone who has ever stood in a decent book shop facing the myriad of options will tell you. The difference between the majority and Dr Eva Orsmond’s The Last Diet is that her book is a one-stop shop for those hoping to lose weight. Not only does she analyse the how’s but she also delves into reasons why we pile it on in the first place (from the obvious to the emotional and psychological), the hidden calories in so-called ‘healthy foods’ plus she guides us through the necessary behaviour and lifestyle modifications needed. It's all done in the best possible matter-of-fact way, rather than preachy and laborious. As a medical doctor, who specialises in weight loss management, you know you’re in safe hands.

One of the best chapters is something quite simple yet essential for long term weight loss, which is often absent from diet books – she explains in simple terms how the body metabolises energy, what the body needs. It’s so simple and obvious, that it makes you realise just how much we over eat and particularly the wrong type or unnecessary foods.

Is it any wonder that she gets frustrated with some of her Operation Transformation clients when it’s all so clear and obvious to her the pitfalls that we all constantly fall into? Yet when you see it all laid out it, just like the successful leaders on the RTÉ show, eventually the penny/pounds drop. And she doesn’t stop there – there is a step by step plan for her four-phased weight loss regime with menu planners and recipes to match.

The recipes are anything but boring, with tasty, fresh ingredients at their core: No starving, no cardboard dinners or disgusting diet drinks. The recipes are diverse and numerous with everything from stir-fries to stews to omelettes and curries on the menu. Some of my favourites include her Fennel and Orange Soup, Butternut Chickpea Red Curry, LasagnEva (not a typo), Red Lentil Tomato Stew, Homemade Mini-Burgers and even Apple Crumble or Four Seasons Pizza, naturally á la Eva style. The Last Diet is more of a re-boot of your approach to food and lifestyle, than it is a quick-fix diet, with a road map to show you the way. Hence the name.